St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-12-24

ground 'longside the Piney ridge FUR
cattle range. Hits on'y thousand
acre bit NV Ian, en- turn for sale. but
hain't got no higher to gittin' hit. e'
that's wen Dildy's q toddler. Th'
Cun'el seemed like he hoped me t.
want that ar range some day. 'Hit'l
be wuth fortin. joe says he; git hi
ef you kim Twa'n't no kinder us'
atellin' me that. kase wanted tha
Ian bad enough; hits fur sale yit
dunno cs I'll ever hcv the luck to OWL
hit Jes' afo' he died. bout a couple
NV weeks. the Cun'el sent fur me er
SCI: Joe Craddeck, you've been M.
friend wen I hadn't none. l hahn,
gwine to git well. en- dunno es keer,
but heah's sommut es will buy that
thousand-acre track; do you so on that
lam en- no other. fur Dildy-mind you,
this ere's fur Dildy'-he stretch out
his ham en- guv me suthin'."
"Was it the pin?" inquired.
'Twa'n't nuthin' else. stranger"
the mountaineer retorted. with grim,
cOntemptuOus smile. "W'en l kem to
look he'd put tho buzzom pin in my
ham. Every day he'd watch me KEN
in from shootin' pa't'idges. en- Ak me
fust, 'Hev you bought hit?' Seemed
like he'd sSt heart on me sellin' his
buzzom pin en- buyin' that ar land.
heln't the heart to dissap'int him. so
said. I've done bought hit. Cunel.
Fur Dildy. don't you furgit that--fu'
Dildy.' he KEEP tcllin' me-"
''Why did you not buy the land?"
inquired. Il have no doubt it would
have been good purchase"
''Jes' so. stranger. t'were fust rate
cattle ranch. but the Cun'el mus q
been out Of his head to think . scrap
Of shiny glass would buy pip's wuth
of anything" was the dry response.
rs If the mounta in Ger pitied and
laughed at the hallucination. Il guv
it over to Dildy, en- she wouldn't sell
hit for nuthin' savin' . book-she' S
pow'ful fond Of rcadin' sense the
preacher at the cross roads larnt her
how to read"
The man laughed low, dry laugh
and nodded toward the girl Dildy
was surreptitiously reading an illus
trated paper resurrected from week s
burial in the bottom Of my game bag.
She laid it down and blushed hotly.
II have been careful not to spoil it,
SIR" she said. timidly. '.Ithought you
wouldn't mind it If looked at it."
you shall have it and welcome"
The color dcepened in the pretty
cheeks; the beautiful eyes glowed.
Would xQy like - aGpt0.toxn1'.-s-
'.Iwould rather stay here with plenty
Of books"
But you have books and every thing
else in town." l urged.
Il have every thing here except
books" was tho simple resp ponse. with
4 satisfied. mirthful smile.
Ismoked q final pipe out under the
stars and thought of ofDildy. ''Here is =
GIRL" reflected. with what would be
, small fortune for her. longing for
books Is an unattainable treasure"
Chaotic plans and suggestions shot
through my mind. with Dildy as
central 6gure-pretty, .blushing. unso-
Dildy-contented Dildy. A
strange reluctance held me silent. 1
waited until morning to shatser the
novel happiness of content. Dawn was
the misty crests of the noun
ain ridges when stepped out into the
fresh morning air.
''Mawnin'. stranger" politely greeted
Craddeck. Dildy glanced round from
he over-hanging launches Of an old
,rindle COW. and smiled without stop.
ping her milking. Stranger. jest you
ook over to t'o,her ridge. That's the
Piney ridge. an thurs the track Nv
an the Cun'el wanted me to buy wild .
BIT or shiny glass"
l followed Craddeck's index finger
With my eye.
Hits that blackish-lookin' yeth this
'ide that psssel Nv pines"
Viewed from my standpoint the
,lace looked brushy. ragged and bar
en-.
..Why did the Colonel especially
want that land for Dildy?" Inquired.
dunno es kin tell you. savin' hits
cheaper than lower down; but hits five
hundred dollars-en no good a-wishin'
ur hit-dunno but 'twould be a pow
ul bother havin' 20 much Lam savin'
ur stock"
If you had the money you could no
loubt purchase better land nearer to
,ou:" I suggested.
Thurs . sight nv lam. but hit costs
louble. en- l guv the Cun'el my say so.
0 git that fur Dildy-on'v the Cun'el
vur sick en- thought bit Nv glass mout
ek somebody's eye" and Joe Grad
leck tore of quid OF tobacco from
luge twist in his pocket and slowly put
{ in his mouth-that same grim amuse-
nent in his keen. clear eyes.
Evidently the mountaineer regarded
his legacy to Dildy half in kindly pity.
lalf in jest
The Colonel knew better than any
me else about that GEM" began wa
lily. THAT shiny bit Of glass is worth
more than enough to buy ten such
racts."
Naturally. the Gun ell 3" belief in the
'alue Of the pin having been 50 long .
natter Of scorn. l found it difficult to
convince Craddeck Of the truth. His
was pervaded by . very
lain doubt OF my sanity.
Hits turribul Gurus. stranger. en-
'ou hain't sick nuther." he averred.
,:ek v~oRc.,nA ronvsrtson